[PatientZro]

LONG story short, just finished replacing a bad rocker and intake cam. Closed everything up and it wouldn't start. I could hear the starter motor clicking, and the belt was going around, so I believe the starter is trying.

Searching threads found how to bypass the immobilizer, but more importantly the inertia switch. Got home today, reset the switch (actually heard and felt it click) and tried again. Still no dice.

Pulling the plugs out, they are wet and have a heavy smell of gas (unlike yesterday) so I know the engine is now getting fuel. Pulled the spark plug, put it back in the ignition coil/igniter (sorry, not a mechanic, so I'm not sure what it's called) then grounded it to the neg terminal on the battery, no spark when pressing start button.

Back to LT forums and found another thread that was solved by cleaning the contacts on the intake cam position sensor. Thread mentioned that if they disconnected the sensor it would fire but run like dirt. Tried disconnecting it, still no firing.

Not sure how to test the outputs from the ECU (I do have a multimeter) as I'm not sure which pins I need to test.

When I was replacing the cam/rockers, I tried to not take apart anything I didn't need to since I'm not a mechanic. This means that I basically removed the plugs and wires, valve cover, the Oil Control Valve housing and the cams/rockers. Battery was disconnected the whole time, but was flat when I put it back in. Had it jumpped to my other car (running) so I am getting a 13v measurement from the posts.

So, two questions, what pins should I measure on the ECU? and any other thoughts or things to check?

Appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Edit: I did test a bunch of different fuses (I believe R6 or R7 is the one a lot of people point out) and they all tested fine. Everything in the car powers on as far as I can tell (except the amp since it's currently disconnected).

 

[mikelr]

Did you reconnect the ground wire on the drivers side of the cylinder head (assuming you may have removed it?

 

[PatientZro]

Funny that you mention the ground as I was just outside checking it (read it in another thread). I hadn't removed it when doing the cam, but just now removed and cleaned it.

I also unplugged the throttle body connector and cleaned those contacts. Still no starting.

I am getting a buzzing from the throttle body when the key is in the "on" position...using a screw driver as a stethascope, it almost sounds like a computer harddrive seeking.

Something I forgot to mention in my original post was that the car has sat for just under a year without being started. Story is that I broke the back of a rocker, engine was ticking, parked the car in the garage and didn't touch it for almost a year.

 

[sturgeongeneral]

Where are you located? Possibly another member can stop by and help?

 

[Gunpilot]

Sure your battery is not dead!

 

[PatientZro]

I'm located about an hour west of Toronto. Not many Lotus around here.

Battery is not dead, and when I was first trying it today I had the jumper cables going to the Matrix which was running. Measuring across the terminals was giving a solid 13v. But also when my battery has gotten low before, the starter wouldn't crank at all, but once it started, car would run perfect. Now, the starter does crank so it has juice.

Following along with this thread:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f259/my-ecu-fried-no-spark-119654/index2.html#post1790659

I did the same as FistHammer and disconnected the cam position sensor and tried to fire it up, nothing. But I didn't check for a spark with this disconnected, just tried to start the car.

I measured the resistance of the cam position sensor, got approx 850 reading. This is on the low end, but still falls in the 835 - 1400 cold resistance range that mikelr had posted.

They had also measured the voltages at the coils and had the green at 12v. I just went and checked mine, I get a 12v on the green wire for each coil as well. And please correct me if I have the wrong names for things.

I should have thought of this first, but while measuring these voltages, I also threw the ODB2 scanner on and read a P0638 code. Internets says "throttle actuator". Not sure if this could affect getting a spark or not, but I do think it may be related to the buzzing I hear in the throttle body. Tomorrow I'll figure out how to remove the air box/hose and clean the TB out.

 

[PatientZro]

Going through some more threads I came across someone who was having starting issues (ended up being bad pressure from the fuel pump) and they'd posted a video of trying to start it. Mine is soooooooo not like that. The video sounds like the engine turning over but failing to fire. Mine is more just the starter clicking and I can see the serpentine belt move only a small amount with each click. I'm thinking now that either the starter is gone, or that I messed something up when putting the cams back in. I lubed (with oil from a new bottle) up each of the braces that hold the cams before I bolted them down, and did follow the recommended procedure for bolting them down (finger tighten bracket 0, then do bracket I-2, then E2, then I4, E4, etc). Could I have tightened something too much and now the cams aren't moving free enough? Or should I just focus on the starter for now?

I'll start trying to find out how to pull the starter. At the very least I can bench test it while it's off.

 

[mikelr]

Ah... now the picture is coming more into focus. So when you push the start button you get a "clack, clack, clack, clack" from the starter and not much rotation of the engine?
If that is so you either have a bad ground connection (check battery) or maybe even a possible bad battery. I know you said you measured 13V across the terminals with the jumpers hooked up, but that was static with no load. Engage the starter and you will probably see something different.
What is the state of the battery now with it NOT hooked to the matrix? What ever you do stop poking at other sensors and running down dead ends with the throttle body. Those sounds you hear are normal.
Again, what's the current state of your battery?

 

[mikelr]

BTW,
13V measured at the terminals with the booster cables connected is low. A healthy battery should measure 12.8V and with a charging system running (engine running) you should see high 13's low 14'sV.
Seeing 13V tells me your battery was quite flat and drawing down the charging system on your matrix, you certainly can't expect to start the car when the dead battery is pulling down all the amperage, there's nothing left for the starter.

 

[Gunpilot]

Voltage stored and cranking amps are 2 different things. Try charging the batt. or slaving in one from another car. The click is a dead give away.

 

[Doge]

Voltage stored and cranking amps are 2 different things. Try charging the batt. or slaving in one from another car. The click is a dead give away.

This.

13v means nothing.

Get the battery tested or swap the battery. Sounds to me like you have a bad battery with not enough cranking amperage.

 

[ulao]

I am getting a buzzing from the throttle body when the key is in the "on" position

- fuel pump maybe?

If you rule out the battery then tap on the starter with the handle side of a screw driver as if you were pounding in a nail( not that you would hammer in a nail that way), if it starts to turn the engine, the starter is going bad.

 

[mikelr]

Come on OP, don't leave us hanging....where are you at with this? (hoping your just too busy out enjoying the car)

 

[sturgeongeneral]

I would have the battery tested to rule it out. But are you sure valve lash is set properly?

 

[PatientZro]

I'm going to swap batteries with the "project" car since it's only about 4 months old and known good.

I admittedly did not check valve lash since I assumed that the OEM cam from Toyota would be within micrometer tolerances to the old and I didn't touch anything under the rockers.

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[komiko]

if the car was sitting for a year non-maintained the battery is toast.

 

[PatientZro]

So I put the battery in the he project car and it turned over and sounded like it wanted to start, figured it was fuel problems again and therefor that it's battery in the Lotus would have same results....

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!

The battery is right at the edge of toast and usable.... But more on the toast side. New battery and fired up right away. Bunch of smoke and smells for a couple seconds, but then cleared up and purred.

Huge thank you to @CarterBays his forum for all the help that's been given to everyone, gave me many things to look at, check, and learn about.

Now off to get some speaker wire to rerun from amp to deck while I have it all apart, and then the impatient part of getting the clam out of the he basement and putting it all back together.... It's already taking too long and I haven't started yet

Initial dealer quote for repair $14,000. After my brave diving in and doing the investigation and repairs myself, Bill came to just over $300 (plus a possible $100 for another battery).

I thank you all. I shall do many shots of tequila tonight in my happiness and your name.

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[PatientZro]

Clarification and and update:

So, to clarify since the guys at the dealer are really great guys and my last message sounded like they were trying to hose me...the $14K was for a new engine after I asked on the phone what it would cost for a rebuild and they said I'd probably be better off going with a new engine. They probably could have had this fixed in a day or two if they had heard it and diagnosed it. And it wouldn't have cost $14k.

Now, for an update. Finally got everything back together with only 2 expected bolts left over (one is stripped and needs replacing, the other is because of a lost clip) and one bolt that fell onto the diffuser and disappeared. Babied it out for a short test and everything sounded good. I didn't really push it. I didn't hear any creaks or rattles that weren't normal (horrible roads in town). And I actually put tie back on for the shifter boot and re-ran some speaker wires to the amp. So interior wise, I'm actually better now than before.

Some tips for others doing general work on their Lotus...
1) Put the trunk/boot lid on before putting the interior back together if you took the clam off. First time I had the hinges backwards, and now they're too far back and the lid rubs....so interior gets taken apart again tomorrow

2) Get a 10mm ratcheting wrench, not a ratchet and socket, the regular wrench style but with ratcheting action. If you have to take the nuts off the hinges for the trunk lid, it will save you a whole lot of time and frustration.

3) Listen to the advice people here give you, especially if you're not an experienced mechanic. They have done it before, and heard it before, they probably know what they're talking about.

4) If you have to take off the rear clam, when you finally get the two nuts off by contorting your arm and socket, use some electrical tape wrapped around the end of the bolt (going past the end) so that the bolt doesn't scratch the clam when you're sliding it.

5) Write on the chassis how much of a spacer is needed at each of the four points under the trunk/boot. Someone else had done this and saved me a WHOLE lot of hassle figuring out what spacers go where when they all fell.

6) Tape the snot out of the spacers when you're getting ready to put things back together. A single piece of duct tape can fail and move things on you. A backup piece improves your chances of nothing moving.

7) Even if you're not a mechanic, there are a lot of things you can do on your own to save money, the key is to read how to do something first. Maybe find two or more spots to read it so you're getting every detail. Then go slow. If you're doing it yourself, it shouldn't be a race. That's how mistakes are made. Use ziploc baggies to hold the nuts, bolts, and screws from each area, and label the bags.

8) It takes no time at all to press the reset button on the inertia switch, and it's easily bumped when taking the clam off. So when it goes back on, give it a push.

9) Check the battery first, and if possible, swap it with another car and see if the problem follows the battery or the car.

10) The guys on this forum are amazing and here to help. Instead of getting frustrated, take a step back and ask here (after searching of course).

Thank you again for the help guys. Not just the help given to me, but the help given to others that I read. I learned a LOT, and although I still don't want to mess with any hydraulics, I am confident enough that I can do a lot of things with my car if I ever need to.

Patient Zro.